Accumulator for elongated flexible material



ACCUMULATR FOR ELONGATED FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Filed Jan. 19, 1968 E. TANISJune 10, 1969 wqmw ma w E. TANIS June l0, 1969 v ACCUMULATOR FORELONGATED FLEXIBLE MATERIAL Sheet Filed Jan. 19. 1968 l Uw@ NN 5% uw NN.liv

wm Nw mw Shet E. TANIS ACCUMULTOR FOR ELNGATED FLEXIBLE MATERIAL June1o, 1969 E'iled Jan. 19,

INvNToR 10W/veo 74A/ls av WM. ATTQRNEY L@ ww I mi. III' l||||||||| gf@M999 wi l i l I lflll @www LAW,

United States Patent O 3,448,938 ACCUMULATOR FOR ELONGATED FLEXIBLEMATERIAL Edward Tanis, Midland Park, NJ., assignor to John Royle & Sons,Paterson, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 19, 1968, Ser. No.699,264 Int. Cl. B65l1 51 /08 U.S. Cl. 242-4109 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLOSURE An accumulator provided with a plurality of movable carriagesbetween sheaves for supporting a loop of material. Means is provided forsequentially widely spacinf the carriages longitudinally as the sheavesmove apart, and for returning the carriages to at least substantiallyabutting positions when the sheaves are moved relatively toward eachother into their retracted terminal position. Such means takes the formof magnetic coupling means between successive pairs of carriages and therearmost carriage and the movable sheave, the coupling meansprogressively increasing in coupling strength toward the movable sheave,and cooperating stop means on the frame and dogs on the carriages forsequentially disengaging the couplings and for holding the respectivecarriages at predetermined longitudinal positions as the sheaves moveapart.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relatesto a horizontal accumulator for elongated exible material. Theaccumulator is adapted to lbe introduced into a system for fabricatingand/or treating such material; it permits the material to be slowed orheld from travel at one end of the accumulator while the materialcontinues to travel at the other end of the accumulator.

Description of the prior art Horizontal accumulators have been usedheretofore, but such prior faccumulators have not been altogethersatisfactory when employed with heavy elongated flexible material suchas cables of large diameter. Although such accumulators have providedfor the guiding support of the one or more lower runs of heavy materialsuch as cable between the relatively movable sheaves thereof, they havemade little or no provision for the guiding support of the one or moreupper runs of the cable extending between the sheaves. In many instancesthe cable would at times sag suiciently to engage and be sculed by xedmembers such as parts of the frame as the cable travelled therepast.This was a serious dithculty, particularly if the cable were sheathed,since the scuiling in some cases proved to be serious enough to causethe rejection of considerable lengths of very expensive cable.

Summary of the invention In the illusttrative embodiment, theaccumulator is shown handling a sheathed cable of relatively largediameter, such cable having issued from a continuous vulcanizing chamberand travelling toward a take-up or reeling station. The accumulatorpermits the cable to continue its travel at constant speed through thevulcanizing chamber while the leading end of the cable beyond theaccumulator is held lixed, as by being clamped, while the substitutionof an empty take-up reel is being made for :a full take-up reel. In suchuse, the sheaves of the accumulator move relatively away from each otherfrom a starting position (FIG. 1) to a terminal position (FIG. 3).Alternatively, when employed in a manner not illustrated, theaccumulator may be used, 'as at the feeding end of a sheathing extrudercontinuous vulcanizing cham- -ber system, to provide a supply ofunsheathed cable to the extruder. In such use, the sheaves of theaccumulator are initially positioned as in FIG. 3. When it is necessaryto splice the leading end of a fresh reel to the trailing end of thecable being fed into the extruder, such trailing end is clamped, and theleading end of the new cable is spliced thereto. During this time, cableis continuously supplied to the extruder from the accumulator, thesheaves then travelling toward each other toward the position of FIG. 1.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a plurality ofintermediate carriages which are movable on a track disposedlongitudinally of the frame, such track also supporting a carriage uponwhich the second sheave is rotatably mounted. Each of the intermediatecarriages has a cable supporting roller on the upper portion thereof,such rollers being adapted to support the upper runs of the cablebetween the sheaves when the second sheave is moved to extend such runssuiciently for them to sag appreciably.

The accumulator includes means for causing the intermediate carriages totravel as a coupled train coupled to the carriage supporting the secondsheave in the initial portion of the travel of the latter. During suchtravel of the second sheave, the intermediate carriages areprogressively uncoupled from the trailing end of the train and are heldat predetermined longitudinally spaced positions so as to furnish propersupport for the upper runs of the cable in the accumulator. Upon thereturn travel of the second sheave toward the first sheave, theintermediate carriages are progressively picked up and coupled to thetrailing end of the train of intermediate carriages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and further objects andnovel features of the invention will more fully appear from thefollowing description when the same is read in connection with theaccompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, thatthe drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are notintended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters re- .fer to likeparts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a schematic simplified view in side elevation of theillustrative accumulator with the movable sheave retracted to a positionadjacent the lixed sheave thereof;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the movable sheave in aposition intermediate its permissible range of travel;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but with the movable sheave inits fully extended position, furthest from the fixed sheave;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic fragmentary view in plan of theaccumulator with the movable sheave thereof positioned as in FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the portion of theaccumulator illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation on a larger scale than that employedin FIGS. 4 and 5, the accumulator being broken through in twolongitudinally spaced positions, the rst, second, and ninth and tenthintermediate carriages, numbered from the left in FIGS. 1-5, inclusive,lbeing shown;

FIG. 7 is a view in horizontal section through the accumulator, thefigure showing the second, ninth, and tenth intermediate carriages, thesection being taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view in transverse section through the accumulator, thesection being taken along the line 8 8 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawings, theillustrative accumulator is shown handling a sheathed vulcanized cable11 which enters the accumulator along a horizontal path The path 10 liesalong the upper side of a rst iixed singlegrooved sheave 17 which ismounted tipped from the vertical on an axle 18, as shown in FIG. 4. Thecable proceeds to a irst groove 12 in a movable double-grooved sheave14, returns in a lower run 15 to pass into the bottom of the groove 16in the sheave 17. After passing 180 about sheave 17 the cable 10 extendsin a third horizontal run 19 thereof to the upper portion of the secondgroove 20 in the movable sheave 17. From groove 20 the cable passes in asecond lower horizontal run 21 to the let't to be withdrawn from theaccumulator. As above explained, in the described installation of theillustrative embodiment the movable sheave 14 is initially retractedinto the position shown in FIG. l, the sheave 14 travelling toward theterminal position shown in FIG. 3 in storing cable 11 therein.(Alternatively, if the accumulator were employed to supply cable, themovable sheave 14 would be initially positioned as in FIG. 3, and, asthe accumulator supplies the cable, the sheave 14 would move toward theterminal position shown in FIG. l.)

As shown in FIGS. 48, inclusive, the accumulator has an elongatedhorizontal hollow frame which is generally designated 22, such framebeing formed of a plurality of pairs of laterally spaced uprights 24disposed at intervals along the length of the frame. The frame hassuitable upper longitudinal members 25 and cross members 26. Extendingalong the frame intermediate its height and on opposite sides thereofare two parallel horizontal channel members 27 lforming tracks. Movablealong such tracks is a carriage 29 on which the movable sheave 14 isjournalled. Carriage 29 is made up of two similar side members 30connected by a rear or right-hand cross member 31 and a front orleft-hand cross member 32. The movable sheave 14 is disposed between theside frame members 30 and is journaled to rotate in a vertical planeupon an axle secured to members 30, as shown. The carriage 29 issupported on the track members 27 by pairs of oppositely projectingforward and rear upper rollers 34 which overlie the tracks, and isprevented from upward escape from the tracks by two oppositelyprojecting central lower rollers 35 which underlie the tracks.

The carriage 29 is pulled to the right, whereby to place the runs 10, 19and 15, 21 of the cable 11 under tension, by means including a cable 40,one end of which is secured to the right-hand end of the carriage 29,such cable extending to a winding drum 37 mounted upon the frame of theaccumulator. Drum 37 is driven in the direction to wind up the cable 40by a torque motor 36 which is connected to the winding drum as by achain and speed reducing means generally shown at 39. The accumulator isprotected against destructive shock, by reason of travel of the carriage29 at appreciable speed into its right-hand terminal position, .by meansof a shock absorbing abutment 38 which is interposed between portions ofthe frame including uprights 24 and the carriage 29. The accumulator isalso provided with tixed lower cable guiding rollers 41 which arejournalled upon axles extending between opposite uprights 24. When thesheave 14 is moved to the right into either an intermediate or theterminal position thereof, the lower runs 15, 21 of cable 11 ordinarilysag slightly and are then supported -by the rollers 41, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a plurality(10 shown) of similar intermediate carriages 42 disposed to be supportedby and to move along the tracks 27 between the fixed she-ave 17 andthemovable sheave 14. Each of carriages 42 has a transversely extendingroller 50 on the top thereof, such roller being disposed to support andguide the upper runs 10, 19 of cable 11 when such runs sag appreciably.In the retracted position of carriage 29 (FIG. 1), the carriages 42 aredisposed in coupled abutting relationship, the iirst or letthandcarriage `42 abutting a xed stop 43- (FIGS. 4 and 5) which is xedlysecured to the frame of the accumulator. Each of the carriages 42 hastwo laterally spaced similar opposite side members 44, the side membersbeing connected by a forward transverse member `45 and a rear transversemember 46. Each of members 46 is made of magnetic material such assteel. Each of the carriages has pairs of oppositely projecting forwardand rear rollers 47 thereon, such rollers overlying and being supportedby the tracks 27. The carriages 42 are retained upon the tracks byoppositely extending central lower rollers 49 which engage the bottomsurfaces of the tracks 27. Journalled centrally of each carriage 42transversely thereof is the above-mentioned vcable supporting roller 50.

Each of the second to the seventh intermediate carriages 42 (counting'from the left) has mounted on the forward cross member 45 thereof acentrally disposed permanent magnet 51. The forward (left) cross member45 of the rst carirage is devoid of such magnet. The eighth, ninth, andtenth intermediate carriages 42 and the forward cross member 32 of thecarriage 29 are provided with two permanent magnets 51 which aredisposed laterally spaced on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerlines of the carriages, as shown in FIG. 7. In the illustrativeembodiment all of the magnets 51 are of the same size and shape and havethe same field strength. The magnets, which are made of Alnico, aregenerally circular cylindrical, yand are cross slotted at their outer,free ends to form four equally spaced poles. One set of opposing polesare north, and the other set are south poles. It is obvoius thatdiierent types of magnets may be substituted for magnets 51 if desired.

In accordance with the invention, the magnetic attractions betweensuccessive intermediate carriages 42 and that between the right-handcarriage 42 and the carriage 29 increase in the direction from left toright. This result is attained, with identical magnets 51, by the use ofshims 52 of non-magnetic material, such as brass, of differentthicknesses upon the rear cross members 46 of the carriages 42. As abovenoted, members 46 are made of magnetic material and thus form armaturesfor the respective magnets 51. In a typical accumulator in accordancewith the invention wherein it is desired that the magnetic attractionsbetween successive carriages shall increase in l0 lb. increments in thedirection from left to right, the shim employed between the first andsecond intermediate carriages 42 is .048 in thickness, the shimsdecreasing progressively in thickness until no shim is provided on therear cross member of the sixth intermediate carriage 42, that is, at thesixth magnetic coupling. At such coupling the coupling force is 70 lbs.The seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth magnetic couplings, each of whichemploys two magnets 51, have coupling forces, respectively, of 90, 100,and 110 lbs. The non-magnetic shims 52 employed at such seventh to thetenth couplings decrease progressively in thickness from .024 at theseventh coupling to .012" at the tenth. It is thus apparent that as thecarriage 29 carrying the movable sheave 14 initially travels to theright from its position in FIG. l, it carries with it the train ofcoupled carriages 42. It is also apparent that the carriages 42 may beprogressively uncoupled from the left-hand end of the train by acoupling breaking restraining force applied to the carriage which isthen at the left end of the train without uncoupling the other carriagesfrom the train.

The accumulator includes means for sequentially uncoupling carriagesfrom the left-hand end of the train of carriages and leaving them at aposition longitudinally of the range of travel of the movable sheave ofthe accumulator to afford proper support for the upper runs 10, 19 ofthe cable 11. Such means includes a pair of oppositely extending dogs oneach carriage 42, the dogs being generally aligned with the forwardcross member 46 of each carriage and being designated 54-63, inclusive,from the first to the tenth carriage. The dogs 54-63, inclusive, arelocated at progressively decreasing height on the carriages, as is shownsomewhat schematically in FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, and structurally inFIGS. 6.and 7. Cooperating with the respective dogs are pairs ofoppositely inwardly extending stops affixed to the frame at positionsspaced longitudinally thereof, such stops being designated 64-73,inclusive, in the direction from left to right, each pair of such stopsbeing located at the respective position longitudinally of the frame atwhich a carriage 42 is to be positioned when it has been uncoupled fromthe train of coupled carriages 42. The stops 64-73, inclusive, aredisposed at heights above the tracks 27 which progressively decrease inthe direction from left to right, each stop being positioned at a heightsuch that the dogs on carriages 42 to the right of the carriage to beheld by such stop pass freely thereunder, whereas the dogs on carriagesto the left of such carriage are disposed vertically above the stop inquestion.

Such action is evident in FIGS. 1 3; in FIG. 2 the first ve carriages 42are shown as being held from further travel to the right by theirrespective stops, the last ve carriages remaining coupled to thecarriage 29 so that they travel therewith to the right. Upon furthertravel of the carriage 29 with the carriages coupled thereto to theright, such carriages 42 are progressively uncoupled and are heldagainst travel to the right by the stops 69-73, inclusive. Since theupper runs 10, 19 of the cable travel to the right, engagement of suchruns with the supporting roller guides 50 on the carriages 42 held bytheir respective fixed stops maintains the dogs on the carriages incontact with such stops, so that the uncoupled carriages 42 are securelyretained in the desired longitudinally spaced positions.

Upon travel of the carriage 29 from its extended position of FIG. 3toward the retracted position of FIG. 1 the intermediate carriages 42are progressively coupled to carriage 29 and then to each other. Thecooperation between the dogs 59-63, inclusive, and stops y64-73,inclusive, is such that the carriages 42 can travel freely to the leftas they are progressively picked up by and coupled to the left-hand endof the train of coupled carriages. Accordingly, the accumulator isautomatic in its action, requiring no operator attention.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been ilustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, itis to be especially understood that various changes, such as in therelative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as wellas the suggested manner .of use of the apparatus of the invention, maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In an accumulator for elongated exible material, said accumulatorhaving a generally horizontal longitudinally extending frame, a firstcarriage movable longitudinally along the frame, a sheave journalled onthe first carriage and forming at least one storage loop havinglongitudinally extending runs, and means for constantly urging the firstcarriage rearwardly along the frame to tension the runs of material, theimprovement which comprises a plurality of longitudinally alignedintermediate carriages disposed forwardly of the first carriage, meansmounting the intermediate carriage for 1ongitudinal movement along theframe, each carriage having a material guide means thereon lying below alongitudinal run of the material and adapted to be engaged by such runwhen the run sags appreciably upon rearward movement of the sheave toextend the runs of material,

magnetic means to couple successive intermediate cari riages togetherinto a train and to couple one end of the train to the rst carriage, themagnetic coupling means between successive pairs of intermediatecarriages and between the end of the train and the -first carriageprogressively decreasing in coupling force in the direction from thefirst carriage to the free end of the train remote from the firstcarriage, and means progressively to detach carriages from the free endofthe train by breaking the magnetic coupling between them and the nextadjacent carriage in the train and to space the thus detached carriageslongitudinally of the frame upon rearward movement of the rst carriage.A

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means progressively todetach intermediate carriages from the train of carriages comprises aseries of longitudinally spaced stops aixed to the frame, and dogs oneach of the intermediate carriages adapted to engage only `a respectiveone of said stops to detach said intermediate carriages successivelyfrom the train and to locate the detached carriages at the successivestops.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the dogs on the intermediatecarriages in the train project successively further in one directionaway from such carriages from carriage to carriage in the direction awayfrom the n first carriage, and the stops on the frame are locatedsuccessively further in said one direction but toward the dogs in thedirection away from the first carriage.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the dogs on the intermediatecarriages in the train project successively further in a verticaldirection away from such carriages from carriage to carriage in thedirection away from the first carriage, and the stops on the frame arelocated successively further in said vertical direction but toward thedogs in the direction away from the first carriage.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein there are longitudinallyspaced sets of stops on the frame, each set of stops including twosimilar, similarly disposed laterally spaced and aligned stops, and twolaterally aligned dogs on each of the intermediate carriages, said dogsbeing disposed to cooperate with a respective set of stops.

`6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the magneticcoupling means comprises at least one permanent magnet mounted on theend of one of two successive carriages, the end of the other of said twocarriages having an armature cooperating with `said magnet.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein successive pairs ofcarriages in at least a part of the train of carriages have the samenumber of identical magnets, and comprising a shim of non-magneticmaterial 'disposed between the cooperating magnet and the armature ofsuccessive pairs of carriages in said part of the train, the shimsassociated with at least some of the pairs of carriages being ofdifferent graduated thicknesses, whereby to secure said graduation inmagnetic coupling force between successive carriages in said part of thetrain of carriages.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material guides on theintermediate carriages are disposed to lie below and adapted to supportthe upper run of material in the accumulator.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, comprising further material guidesdisposed below and adapted to support the lower run of material in theaccumulator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,779,457 l/ 1957 Sisson242-47.09 3,374,933 3/1968 Young 242--47.09 X

NATHAN L. MINTZ, Primary Examiner.

